Penticton

Demolition work has begun at the old Penticton Bingo Palace site, to make way for a new Marriott Hotel next year.

New owner Ron Mundi said they hope to get the demolition work done quickly, finishing razing the building by Christmas and looking at beginning building new structures in early 2019.

"Our plan, if everything is going well, and if the weather is good, we'll try to open the hotel within the year basically, for December 2019," Mundi said.

He hopes to have foundation construction finished by March 2019, weather permitting.

"Then definitely after that, full speed," Mundi said.

He added that he's very excited to finally be getting into the Penticton market, following a successful opening this summer of the new Coast Hotel in Oliver.

"We've been waiting for six months, we are definitely really excited!" he said, adding the Penticton hotel feels like the missing link of a chain that started with the purchase of the Coast Hotel in Osoyoos and has been moving north ever since.